Newborn sleep schedule
At the newborn stage, most babies take 6–8 (no set schedule) naps with wake windows of 35 min to 1 h, and need 14–17 h of sleep in 24 hours.
- Wake window
- 35 min – 1 h
- Naps a day
- 6–8 (no set schedule)
- Total sleep / 24 h
- 14–17 h
- Daytime sleep (sample)
- about 5 h 40 min
Newborns have no day–night rhythm yet. Sleep comes in 1–4 hour blocks around the clock, broken up by feeds every 2–3 hours.
Feed on demand and let sleep happen; the times below are only a loose shape for the day. Safe sleep matters most now: back to sleep, flat empty crib, in your room.
Night Nap Awake
- 7:00 amWake up, feed
- 7:35 amNap 1 · about 1 h
- 9:14 amNap 2 · about 1 h
- 10:56 amNap 3 · about 1 h
- 12:42 pmNap 4 · about 1 h
- 2:31 pmNap 5 · about 1 h
- 4:24 pmNap 6 · about 40 min
- 6:04 pmBedtime (start routine 20–30 min before)
Make it fit your baby
This schedule is built from the middle of the wake-window range for this age, with windows that lengthen through the day. If your baby fights naps, try stretching each window by 10–15 minutes; if they melt down before naps, shorten them. For a schedule from your baby's exact age, a sleep pressure clock and an AI helper for specific problems, use the baby sleep schedule calculator.
Feeding and sleep go together: see the newborn feeding schedule for how much milk to expect at this age.
Safe sleep: the AAP recommends placing babies on their back on a firm, flat, empty surface, in the parents' room for at least the first 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a newborn stay awake between naps?
A typical wake window at this age is 35 min to 1 h, with the shortest window in the morning and the longest before bed. Watch sleepy cues (staring, eye rubbing, yawning, fussing) rather than the clock alone.
How many naps does a newborn take?
Usually 6–8 (no set schedule) naps a day. Newborns have no day–night rhythm yet. Sleep comes in 1–4 hour blocks around the clock, broken up by feeds every 2–3 hours.
How much sleep does a newborn need?
About 14–17 h in 24 hours, including naps. There is no official recommendation under 4 months because sleep varies so much; this range is typical.
What time should a newborn go to bed?
Counted from a 7:00 am wake-up, the sample schedule below lands bedtime at about 6:04 pm. Enter your baby's actual wake-up time to shift the whole day.
Sources: Paruthi S et al., AASM consensus on recommended sleep for pediatric populations (2016), endorsed by the AAP; AAP safe sleep policy statement (2022); HealthyChildren.org. Wake windows are typical ranges compiled from paediatric sleep guidance, not rules.